Having been to more shows than I could possibly count I'm confident saying I've developed a strong understanding of the ins and outs of a concert. One thing i've become passionately hateful towards is peoples use of their cell phones at shows - primarily with the camera on it.

When you hold your cell phone over your head to take a photo or - even worse - make a video you're taking away the concert experience from everyone around you. You not only have your hand literally in peoples view but you've got a nice glowing light to distract an even larger radius around you - and for what purpose?

It's fine to take a photo or maybe a short video to have a memory keepsake but to film a whole song or take a million consecutive photos is simply rude. What are you going to use that footage for? Youtube? No, everyone hates cell phone videos. Post on Facebook? Stop that - I don't want to see a hundred of the exact same blurry images of Skrillex's (awesome) space ship. Basically this data is going to sit on your phone, unused, until you drop it in the toilet.

There's people like myself who are trying to make a living off of concert photography and making videos of your favourite song - and I can promise you it's not easy. These people have put in countless hours of hard work to get where they are and to produce beautiful results. You know that live video of John Mayer playing 'Free Falling' you've watched a hundred times? Yeah, it wasn't recorded on a cell phone. And, what about the people that put in hours of work to set up the amazing mood lighting for you to see Coldplays 'The Scientist'? Think they want a see random glowing cell phones distracting everyone? No.

Basically what i'm saying is shut off your cell phones and enjoy the show! Go and get in the moment - let your senses guide you and let your emotions fly - don't let your cell phones distract you - concerts are meant to be an escape and you don't need to spend that time with that glow in your face or forcing it on the people around you. If you really want to have a photo of the show you were at spend a bit of money, support a local photographer and buy a print! You're helping the artist and you'll have a much higher quality keepsake than that toilet water filled cell phone picture.

Enjoy the show!

/rant

Now... check out these photos and tell me you can do the same with your cell phone...

Roger Waters @ The Rogers Centre

Matt Costa @ The Great Hall

Rural Alberta Advantage @ The Phoenix

Laura Marling @ The Phoenix

Iron & Wine @ The Sound Academy

Joe Purdy @ Lee's Palace

Protest The Hero @ Lee's Palace

Incubus @ Molson Amphitheatre

Ain't No Love @ Amsterdam Brewery

July Talk @ Lee's Palace

The Death Set @ The Bovine

Death Cab For Cutie @ Massey Hall

Blink 182 @ Molson Amphitheatre

Dallas Green of City And Colour @ Massey Hall

Matt Mays @ Lee's Palace

Death From Above @ Sound Academy

The Wooden Sky @ Opera House

Beirut @ The Sound Academy

Amos The Transparent @ El Mocambo

And that's that.

Tomorrow I have a meeting with someone that i'm confident will become a very big thing for me and my photography. Let's just say i'm super excited about it and you'll be able to SEE soon.

Take care!
- Dylan

P.s. I actually can't believe I took such a fitting picture of someone using their cell phones. That was at the MMVA's - teen girls are the worst for it.

P.s.s. That photo of Skrillex's awesome spaceship was taken by Maria Govea. She's another concert photographer that works hard in Toronto. Check out her work here: http://www.thesupermaniak.com/